Case Proceeds in NY Firefighter's Lewd Act

Aug. 17, 2018
A Utica firefighter accused of harassing a female co-worker in a lewd January incident has had one of the three charges against him dropped.

Aug. 16 -- The case of a Utica City Court in the matter of Richard Forte - a firefighter accused of harassing a female co-worker in January - appeared briefly in Utica City Court Thursday as the case progresses to trial.

According to court records, Forte will appear on Sept. 21 for two of his original three charges - fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal tampering.

The remaining charge of offering a false written statement was dismissed Thursday.

The case stems from a Jan. 6 complaint by a female Utica City firefighter who reportedly found ejaculate on an extra pair of her pants after returning from a call with the department. The pants were kept in a private room of the station house that she uses when working a 24-hour shift.

The substance found on them tested positive for semen and Forte was later court-ordered to submit a DNA sample for analysis and comparison.

___ (c)2018 Observer-Dispatch, Utica, N.Y. Visit Observer-Dispatch, Utica, N.Y. at www.uticaod.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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